Tere's Family Cooks

Tere's family lives in Oaxaca. She invited Stuart and me for dinner with her family Sunday evening, an invitation I viewed as special. She and Dan picked us up at our apartment at 4. Earlier that day, we had all gone for barbacoa for breakfast, and while we were out I bought a poinsettia for her daughter. Noche Buena, as they are called here, are native and can grown to 20 feet tall.

Tere's daughter, son-in-law and grandson, and son and daughter-in-law live beside each other in a a neighborhood close to the river on the northwest side of town. This is Rosario, her daugher, and Rafael's house... in the garden is a grapefruit tree, a mango tree, a lemon tree and a stand of banana trees. And lots of bouganvilla.








Raul, her son and Luc (prounounced Loose, meaning 'light'), her daugher-in-law live next door. Luc's mother, Luc, was visiting from Juichitan, in the Isthmus of Mexico. Everyone was so gracious, and accomodating of the gringos who spoke so little spanish. We all laughed and had great conversations, eveyone helping someone else understand what was being said. Of course, Tere and Dan are bilinqual. Alejandro, Tere's 10 year old grandson is studying english, and his pronounciation is excellent. He is gregarious, a smart child.

The men cooked thinly sliced beef, tasajo, on the grill. They laid whole garlic heads and green onions on the coals, and mama Luc sliced some Juichitan cheese and laid it on the grill, too. A vegetable salad appeared, and Rosario grilled some tortillas. Stuart and Dan bought beer, which was shared around. Mama Luc made a very tasty salsa, which she most readily shared with me the recipe:
2 chile gordo
2 tomatoes
garlic
about 1/4 chopped onion
Roast the chile, garlic and tomatoes. Don't burn them! Put everything in the blender, process until smooth.

The grilled cheese was the best taste of the evening, or so I thought at the time. It didn't melt on the grill, and the flavor was nutty and a little salty. Cheese is a specialty of Oaxaca, and this one was very good. When we had all finished eating, Tere brought out the dessert: a pineapple pie. Ohmy! She has promised to share with me the recipe. I've never tasted anything so good! But wait, there's more. Rafael put a clay pitcher of milk down in the still-hot coals, and Rosario grated fresh, local chocolate into the warming milk, stirring until the chocolate melted. Raul brought out the mezcal (locally made, of course), and we saluted the cooks and the fine evening. By the time we finished eating and drinking, it was dark, and the Christmas lights on the house made the cool night feel more festive. It was an evening I'll remember for a long time, I think.